I once attended a seudat mitzvah in which a number of Reform Jews were present. During the meal, I arose and offered divrei Torah in honor of the occasion. I looked out upon the participants and sadly discovered many of them completely ignoring me. They were immersed in their food and drink, bare-headed and brazen. From time to time, they burst out in raucous laughter.
I thought that perhaps some words of rebuke or an alarming story might draw their hearts that much closer to authentic Judaism.
But even my most piercing words just drew scornful reactions. I decided to change tactics. A moving narrative with a mussar lesson would do it, I naively believed. I told a touching tale with a powerful message, but not even a slight change was perceptible in their attitude. Regrettably, I did not manage to bring them one iota closer to their Heavenly Father.
I realized that their hearts were icy toward anything sacred. It seemed that they were determined to maintain their “cool” attitude, and even lower the temperature. They had no intention whatsoever of changing their mindset. For this reason, they made a mockery of everything dear and holy to our religion.
When a Jew becomes so numb that he refuses to break the ice around his heart, by subduing his desires to the Torah’s mandates, there is no way to bring him back. He may die without faith, always believing that he was correct. That is, unless Hashem, the All powerful, makes a miracle and allows him to do teshuvah.
